Some Serum Metabolites and Haematological Parameters of Pullet Chicks Fed Cassava Root Products (CRPs)

Blood biochemistry is routinely used in veterinary medicine to evaluate the health status of animals and poultry. The experiment was designed to evaluate serum metabolites and haematological parameters of pullet chicks fed cassava root products (CRPs). Diet 1 contained 100% maize and served as the control diet (CD). Diets 2, 3 and 4 contained 50% unpeeled cassava chip (UCC), unpeeled cassava pellet (UCP) and unpeeled cassava grit (UCG), respectively, while diets 5, 6 and 7 contained 100% of respective cassava products. There were three replicates of 10 birds each in a completely randomized design. At the seventh week, blood samples were carefully collected from three birds from each replicate for haematological indices and serum metabolites. Results on haematological indices showed that values recorded were not adversely (p < 0.05) affected by dietary treatments. Birds fed CD had packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (Hb), red blood cell (RBC), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) values that were similar (p > 0.05) to values recorded by birds fed cassava based diets. The respective values ranged from 18.50% to 24.50%, 11.30 g/dL to 12.75 g/dL, 2.43 × 10⁶/mm³ to 3.69 × 10⁶/mm³, 32.96 µmg to 50.87 µmg and 44.65% to 63.41%. Serum glucose and thiocyanate were significantly (p < 0.05) affected by inclusion of CRPs. Serum thiocyanate of birds fed the CD (0.14 mg/dL) was lower (p < 0.05) than values recorded for those fed 50% and 100% UCC, UCP and UCG (2.33 and 2.56, 2.25 and 2.47, 2.19 and 2.38 mg/dL, respectively). Also values of serum glucose of birds fed 100% UCC, UCP and UCG (181.52, 179.64 and 173.24 mg/dL, respectively) were higher (p < 0.05) than CD. However, serum protein and its fractions were not affected. Conclusively, haematological indices were not adversely affected by dietary treatment, but serum glucose and thiocyanate were affected.